


Deserved

by makingitwork



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Grief, Saddness, Stubborn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-15
Updated: 2014-04-15
Packaged: 2018-01-19 13:01:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1470760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makingitwork/pseuds/makingitwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All they can think is, he doesn't deserve this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deserved

All they can think is, he doesn't deserve this. 

Hotch sat beside Emily, opposite Morgan and Rossi in the conference room, everyone had gone home, everyone but Reid. And as they stared out into the very dim lighting of the bullpen, he was working, rapidly writing something down into a file. Working his problems away. Trying to distract himself. Morgan couldn't look at him without wanting to cry. Emily is blinking back tears and Rossi is lost. Hotch sighed

"Every time I see him...all I can think is that he doesn't deserve this." 

"I know," Emily whispered, "He finally finds love, and it's taken away from him. He's so...he's so good, it's like the worlds doing everything it can to stop him from every being truly happy," 

"Don't say that," Morgan pleaded, shaking his head in denial "Don't say that, he'll find the perfect person, I know he will. He'll be happy."

"His father left, mother incapable to look after him, bullied by his peers, had to raise himself, his first friend in the Bureau, Elle, left, his mentor left, he's been forced to kill unsubs he's connected with, he gave his phone number to a girl, only for her to be assaulted, he's been kidnapped, beaten and tortured more times then I can count, been infected with a deadly strain of anthrax, and then he finally falls in love with the perfect woman- and she gets killed. " Hotch shook his head vehemently, a fatherly protection rising inside him "It's not fair." 

"You know," Rossi half smiled "If it was anyone else, they would have become a murderer. They would have snapped, but he doesn't. After suffering a drug problem and a depression problem and a period of paranoia, he's still here. He's still our Reid." He watched as the boy wonder clicked his back absentmindedly. "He's even more amazing than he thinks he is."

"But that's the problem," Emily breathed "He doesn't think he's amazing. He blames himself, for everything."

Rossi looked down "Have you ever considered taking him out of the field?" 

Hotch smiled "I would never do that to him. He loves his job, he has a passion and he's good at it. For both of those to be true- is rare. I would never send him away. He'll be here long after any of us,"

Emily laughed warmly "I hope that's true,"

"I'm gonna go invite him back to my place," Morgan sighed, standing up

Rossi slapped him on the shoulder "Behave."

Derek rolled his eyes, and the three of them watched the interaction. "Hey there pretty boy," Morgan smiled warmly, placing a hand on Reid's shoulder "I was thinking, you wanna come back to my place? I have access to all of the sports channels?"

"It's like you're purposely trying to get me to decline your offer," Spencer smiled, but he shut the folder and picked up his black cardigan, tugging it on, then lifting his satchel. "What are we gonna do? I'm assuming the sports thing was a joke?"

Morgan laughed, just revelled in the sound of Reid's teasing, his joking, he was so wonderful, so perfect, for getting on with his life. He was remarkable. "Whatever, kid, let's just hang. You could teach me how to play chess or lecture me about Star Trek-"

"Really?" he smiled brightly "I would love too- there are loads of new theories, I just got the new authors guide and I haven't had anyone to discuss it with," he was bouncing on the heels of his feet, eyes glimmering with excitement "There are hundreds of more theories, there's also this special on tonight on CBS, I'd love to catch that if you don't mind-"

"Whatever you want," Morgan laughed, picking up his jacket and ruffling Spencer's hair 

"Can I drive?"

"Let's not be crazy," Morgan whistled as he headed for the elevator, his arm wrapped tight around Spencer's shoulder, admiring everything about the kid.

Hotch shook his head in wonder "If they'd met in high school, do you think they'd be friends?"

"The nerd and the jock?" Rossi frowned "I think so, Reid's snarky and Morgan's willing to give people chances, they'd have been best friends, just like they are now,"

"He'll be happy," Emily sighed, standing and yawning "Derek will make sure of that,"

**Author's Note:**

> Evidently, I'm still grieving.   
> x


End file.
